Of Melodies and Maladies
by Saccharine and Sour
Summary: Sick days are better spent together. Misery loves company, after all.


Title: Of Melodies and Maladies

Summary: Sick days are better spent together. Misery loves company, after all.

Disclaimer: I am far too lame to own Naruto, which is owned by Masashi Kishimoto, and I have no affiliation nor do I profit from this fanwork.

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><p>"Hinata," Naruto mumbled, poking at her prone form atop his couch with a sock-covered toe, leg hovering from his position on the floor.<p>

"Hinata." No response.

"Hina-chan."

"Hime."

"Hey."

"'ttebayo..."

"Hinataaaaaaaa."

"Naruto-kun," came the muffled reply, pale face still pressed into the cushion.

"You got me sick," he said with a pout, his voice more nasally than Udon's. He could hear her sigh from above.

"It's Kiba-kun's fault."

"Kiba got me sick," he amended.

"That's better."

The television droned on with one of Hinata's favorite documentaries as the two sat in commiserated silence, accentuated by the dull, clouded moonlight sifting through Naruto's window's blinds, landing lazily on his forehead. Naruto was bored, but he wouldn't dare change the channel. He figured that she'd earned the right to the entertainment choices since she was worse off. Technically, he was only congested, albeit pretty obnoxiously so; headaches, no sense of smell, he had it all. His princess, however, was stuck with all of the other symptoms that Kiba had generously passed on during one of Team 8's recent missions, and he did not envy her. Fever, dizziness, and fatigue had his poor girlfriend glued in one position to his couch for the last five hours.

His pity, however, did not keep him from trying to rile her up a bit. He figured it would be just a little bit good for her, even. A socked toe made its way to her cheek and poked gently.

"Hinata."

"You're gross, Naruto-kun," she responded, inching herself away from the offending foot as best as she could. His laughter was choked off by a small fit of coughs. He sighed and snorted, allowing his leg to thunk back onto the floor.

"We're a sad sight, aren't we?" Naruto chuckled.

"Sakura-chan quarantined us. We're allowed to be," Hinata retorted, adjusting her head slightly to smile down at him.

"There's that sweet face! I was beginning to think I wouldn't see it until we got better," he teased. "Has the room stopped spinning yet?" Hinata let out a breathless giggle and nodded her head slightly.

"For the most part," she answered. He smiled.

"You know, you've got moon on you," she said. Naruto raised an eyebrow. One symptom lessened, but was she starting to get delirious? Did he need to call Sakura-chan? Before he could ask, she had gestured awkwardly toward the window, then toward him. He smirked slightly, poking the light moonbeam on the carpet.

"Ah, it's getting late, isn't it? We haven't even tried to eat dinner yet." Slowly, Naruto sat up, sniffling a few times. Without moving much, Hinata pulled a tissue out of the box on her side and held it out to him, which he accepted with a grin. He stood and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead, allowing his lips to linger for a moment.

"You're still pretty warm, Hinata. I can make some soup and run a bath if you want," Naruto offered, moving her dark locks out of her face.

"I don't think I could eat it. Or move," she pouted.

"D'you want a cold towel to try to smother yourself with?"

"Yes please."

One wet towel and prepared cup of ramen later, Naruto was seated on the floor with his back against the couch. Hinata lightly ran her fingers through his hair as the credits began to roll on the television.

"Babe, how long was that documentary?" Naruto asked as he chased down a particularly stubborn strand of noodle.

"Probably about three hours if you count the fact that it was a double feature."

"We could have watched Raikage of the Rings instead, it's the same length," Naruto muttered, following up with an accentuated slurp of ramen.

"But we didn't because I love that special on penguins."

"Because I love you."

"Because you love me," Hinata added.

After a few minutes of credits with melodramatic strings playing in the background, accompanied by overdramatic eating thanks to Naruto's current inability to properly breathe through his nose, Hinata blinked at the disposable cup suddenly appearing in front of her face.

"I know you're not hungry, but do you think you could handle the broth? It'd get something kind of like food in you, at least," he said, eyes determined with a hint of concern. Hinata smiled.

"I must look like I'm on my deathbed if you're sharing your ramen," she quipped. Naruto grabbed his chest in mock horror.

"You make it sound as if I'm selfish!" he cried, a grin working its way onto his lips. "I'll have you know that I'd share any ramen with you any day of the week! Only you, though. No one else."

"How could I say no? I'll try," she said. Naruto could hear the beat of silence as she made no clear attempt to move.

"Do you need help?"

"Yes please."

"Alright, roll over," he ordered. A grin stretched across his face at her groan. She had, after all, hardly moved from that spot all day.

"Come on." He kneeled down and pulled her forearm gently, helping her flip herself. He grabbed the towel she had been using and playfully draped it over her face, and then laughed at the somewhat exasperated sigh that flowed underneath. Hinata felt herself being gently eased upward, shoulders supported by a sturdy arm.

"Here," he said, holding the cup near her lips after pulling the towel away, "you promised. It's chicken flavored!"

Smiling, she grasped the cup and drank. When she handed it back, half of the broth was still left. Naruto frowned and pushed the cup back toward her.

"You can do it."

"I'm really not—" Oh no. He was giving her _that_ look. That one where his eyes are wide and so, so blue and he's pouting and she just wants to press her hands onto his cheeks and—Hinata sighed, pulling the cup back and slowly draining the rest. Naruto grinned. So unfair, Hinata thought.

"Is it time for bed yet?" she asked, lifting her towel and draping it around her neck.

"Yeah," Naruto agreed, "or else we might end up passing out right here."

"That means I have to move, doesn't it?" Hinata frowned.

"Don't worry. I got this."

Swiftly sliding his other arm underneath her knees, Naruto lifted her, slowly and carefully. Since her dizziness seemed to have finally subsided, he'd feel guilty if he made it recur. The action had drained the wind from him a bit, though, and she frowned again.

"Naruto-kun, I can walk if you need me to. Don't forget that you're sick, too."

"Nonsense!" She wasn't convinced, as his response was quickly followed by a loud sniffle and a strained cough.

"Take it easy," she said, lifting her face to kiss his cheek. He turned and briefly caught her lips before awkwardly leaning to turn the door handle while still holding her. It took a few tries, but he cheered upon his victory while Hinata chuckled in amusement.

Successfully inside, Naruto sat them down on the bed, settling Hinata on his lap. Just as he had comfortably tucked his lover's head into the crook of his neck, he sneezed.

"You know, I thought that idiots couldn't catch colds?" Naruto groaned. Even his sniffles sounded displeased.

"They can't, but here you are with a cold. Use that in your next argument with Sakura-chan or Sasuke-kun."

"Good idea."

She relaxed in his hold as both let out a long sigh. After a moment, Hinata pointed toward their pajamas on the floor, a questioning look on her face. Naruto shrugged. Neither felt like attempting to change.

"We're going to fall asleep like this, aren't we?" she asked.

"Probably. That's okay, though. If I lay down, I'll probably choke and die on snot," he said. Hinata let out an airy snort.

"No dying allowed," she smiled, lacing an arm around his back and closing her eyes. A few minutes were spent in contented silence before Naruto let out an exaggerated sigh.

"I'm not tired. I mean I'm tired, but I'm not _tired_."

Hinata chuckled, snuggling a bit closer. "You know," she began, "when I was little, I could never get to sleep when I was sick. My mother would always sing to me, and it would put me right out." Naruto ran his thumb gently where his hand was holding her waist, encouraging her to continue.

"When she passed away, I would sing to Hanabi-chan whenever she got sick. I couldn't exactly sing to myself when I was sick, though. Hanabi-chan would sing for me when she got older. One time, though, she and my father were training out of the village when I came down with a pretty bad case of the flu. Neji-nii-san sang for me then," she recounted, a fond smile on her face.

"Neji actually sang for you?" Naruto was shocked. As the information settled, he found himself amused and appreciative of the late man's actions, to hear of the little steps in their healed relationship.

"He did. I was so surprised when he agreed; I hadn't even intended it to be a serious request. It's one of my most precious memories now. My mother had sung to him, too, just a few times, but he remembered the melody perfectly." Hinata's eyes had misted, but her smile was bright. Naruto dabbed his thumb lightly at the corners of her eyes and kissed the top of her head.

"Can you sing for me?" he asked earnestly, coughing a bit. "I would sing for you, but I probably sound worse than Gamakichi on karaoke night." Hinata giggled and nodded.

"That brings up a good question," she began, one finger curled against her lip in thought, "who sings when we're both sick?" Naruto shrugged in response, and she laughed again. "I can try," she decided.

She sang as he held her close—voice breathy, choppy, and quiet—a song of stars, life, and love. Even between her labored breathing and his own, and the likely miserable night ahead of them, to Naruto, it was the most beautiful sound.


End file.
